The Ways of the Fred (A Supplementary to Grinding)  (Read 4073 times)

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Orpheus_only

The Ways of the Fred (A Supplementary to Grinding)
« on: 12 May 2013, 23:21:41 »
First, before starting, have this video/song playing in the background as you read on.

TOPIC PURPOSE
Moving on. I've decided to write this guide to share the success I have thus far with level grinding. I started only with one skill in mind (go Jakeys!), but ended up focusing on multiple skills. Also, it's been about two months since the V6 announcement, and maybe at least one more month until it comes out. I figured it's about time someone spilled.

I report about things I've done, which might or might not work for everyone. The goal is for people to get ideas and incorporate it with their own. Whenever a skill is highlighted, there's a tip or two around (this serves as the TL;DR disclaimer lol).

A WORD ABOUT RESPECT
It is tempting to take a break from grinding when you're one mcMMO level above someone whom you've just passed. You can then take and use your bragging rights, either verbally or silently. But please be reminded of good sportsmanship. I personally consider it courteous to stop one level behind the next guy (depending on who it is, I guess) and let it stay for a couple hours before continuing. Or leave a /mail. I admit being hypocritical about that though. But if I find out that all my hard work is beaten just by one level, it kinda stings, so "Golden Rule" applies here.

Also respect other people's secrets. If they don't want you around their fishing spot or mob farm, or aren't keen on talking about their strategy, then don't insist/persist.

CHOOSING A MAIN SKILL
At the time of the Token Program announcement, Taming was largely ignored, with DiggyDog standing tall at 269 and the runners-up at around 100. While plenty of good grinding systems exist for the other skills, I thought of choosing one main skill that would be under the radar, while everyone else went for Herby or Fishing. So Taming it is. I keep a mental note on where the Wolf (Jakey) Spawners are in a few towns, so acquiring dogs weren't a problem. At the time, Squids and Bats were off, so my underwater mob/disc farm worked brilliantly. I filled up most of the caves/mineshafts around it to supposedly increase spawning rate. With the couple of 3x/6x weekends, I was on my way. I became determined to get and keep Taming #1.

UNINTENTIONAL SECONDARY SKILLS
Unlike Fishing, training the Jakeys (named after Jake the Dog lol) gave me an opportunity to work on other skills simultaneously. Since dogs don't chase Creepers, I picked up a bow and destroyed Creepers from afar, allowing me to get Archery #1 at one time. Taming XP is maximized if the dogs didn't get your help (meleeing mobs), so I took the blows on my armor and let the boys finish the mobs. Because of the undisclosed amount of diamond blocks I got from a Veteran drop party, I was able to up my Repair quickly as well. By not hitting the mobs, I get hit by them more often, increasing my *Dodge* opportunities. So on the side, I leveled up Acrobatics too, albeit slowly. (Another Acro tip: /sethome at the top of a home-made Acro tower).

OTHER SKILLS
Okay, I guess saying "I got my diamonds for free" is not a helpful tip. That's when I bring up Mining and Excavation, and even Fishing, all of which at high levels can give you more diamonds. Double drop from ores, diamonds from dirt (tip: clay mining may be faster for Excav), and Fishing 600. These three skills seem to be very straightforward when it comes to tips. Oh. Never fish in an indoor pond. And find a rainy fishing spot.

MONEY FROM ENCHANTED ITEMS
Whether you're in a mob farm, mining ore, or fishing, your enchant XP is bound to go up. This can be used in selling enchanted items, and the profit can be used to buy much needed materials. Beacons (and iron blocks), mob spawners and eggs, and/or diamonds are key items for grinding. (Beacons for farming "herbalizing" and fighting mobs, spawners for Jakeys if you can find Wolf Eggs, and diamonds for repair and armor). So. Renewable enchant XP plus diamond blocks equals what? Ta da! Fred's enchanted tool shop! For sale right now are assorted high-end Picks and Shovels (minus E5). Rare chains that you get from the mob farm might also be a good investment. I prefer to sell them non-enchanted but with full durability, to give the buyer a chance to add enchants on their own.

This is where I reveal a Mining secret. Sure, sandstone and end stone are good. And netherrack too. Wield an E4 and it's like hot knife through butter. But no enchant XP. Thankfully, in the Nether there's quartz ore for XP. So if you're not lazy and feel like towering up to those ceiling ores, go for the quartz. They'll raise Mining skill fast too. Quartz veins also appear hidden underneath the netherrack btw. I used to think 33 was the best level to enchant, but as it turns out 30 is almost just as good. If you're at or above Repair 600, you'll be able remove/reset an inferior enchant via Salvaging (something that didn't occur to me until recently).

IGNORED/LIMITED SKILLS
"That's one less skill to worry about." When deciding which between my two lowest combat skills I should drop, I chose Swords. It's been stuck at 49 since the announcement. By kicking one skill off my list, (which has both good and bad effects), I can focus on my main/secondary skills better.

There are two skills in which I decided to stop grinding right below a certain person's level (I consider as an upper limit). This way, once I reach that person's level, I can stop grinding that skill and focus on others.

CONCLUSION
A respected scientist once said...
(Nah, I'm not ending this post that way)
Bottom line though, no matter how many tips you get, it's hard work that gets you to the top. And again, these tips/methods are not for everyone. One may be used to the 2x2 Jungle Treefeller method for Woodcutting. I, however, prefer the lowly Burch Birch tree, with Haste II and Speed II beacons, and a plain Diamond Axe. So find your own way, stick at it, and improve. Always improve. All the best to you.

--ummfred

EDIT: Oooh! And coincidentally this is my 250th post lol

tiberius1999

Re: The Ways of the Fred (A Supplementary to Grinding)
« Reply #1 on: 27 Jun 2013, 02:07:47 »
So fred r u saying if u tame a dog u get exp for taming and if u let dogs kill a mob then u also get taming exp?

Orpheus_only

Re: The Ways of the Fred (A Supplementary to Grinding)
« Reply #2 on: 27 Jun 2013, 02:34:31 »
So fred r u saying if u tame a dog u get exp for taming and if u let dogs kill a mob then u also get taming exp?
It seems that taming wolves and ocelots do not give Taming XP any more. Either way, my methods rely on getting Taming XP primarily from mob kills.

sombrerodude

Re: The Ways of the Fred (A Supplementary to Grinding)
« Reply #3 on: 28 Jun 2013, 03:28:59 »
Shhh!!! Fred don't give them ideas Lols jk

Orpheus_only

Re: The Ways of the Fred (A Supplementary to Grinding)
« Reply #4 on: 4 Jul 2013, 00:04:17 »
You do still receive xp from taming the animal.
Mmmk thanks for pointing it out! So technically you can grind Taming XP by staying at wolf spawners and have a full inventory of bones in hand. And maybe a hotbar slot for a sword, but that's not very ...humane.

sombrerodude

Re: The Ways of the Fred (A Supplementary to Grinding)
« Reply #5 on: 4 Jul 2013, 01:47:56 »
You do still receive xp from taming the animal.
Mmmk thanks for pointing it out! So technically you can grind Taming XP by staying at wolf spawners and have a full inventory of bones in hand. And maybe a hotbar slot for a sword, but that's not very ...humane.
It is frowned upon by the animal humane society

Orpheus_only

Re: The Ways of the Fred (A Supplementary to Grinding)
« Reply #6 on: 4 Jul 2013, 20:44:11 »
Ok, I tested out the spawner taming... It doesn't give you xp. So, the only way to get it from simply taming is finding wild wolves.
Copy that. Thanks for the testing!